Economic Trends in Kanyakumari District
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ISSN (Online) 2456 -1304 International Journal of Science, Engineering and Management (IJSEM) Vol 2, Issue 12, December 2017 Economic Trends in Kanyakumari District [1] Dr.N.Mary Usha, [2] Mrs.J.Chysolite Bessie [1] Assistant Professor of History, [2] Ph.D Research Scholar [1][2] Scott Christian College(Autonomous), Nagercoil. Abstract:-- The economy of every country is based on land and its people. The distribution of land as it exists in Kanyakumari District is chiefly the result of social customs, the laws of inheritance and the legislative enactments that were made from time to time. It was the feudal based economy that severely affected the economy of the common people. Kanyakumari District was preeminently an agricultural area. 47.2% of the population depending for their means of livelihood almost exclusively upon land, a feature peculiar to the west coast of Travancore. The district, once called as “the Granary of Travancore” and its fertile area with hundreds of water bodies and a canal irrigation system commanded a predominant status. However all avenues of activity had been pursued by people to derive their income. Keyword:-- Kanyakumari District, Economic Trends, agricultural. activities. Since large tracts of land were required for the The economy of every country is based on land and its maintenance of the temples, the erstwhile sons of the soil people. The distribution of land as it exists in Kanyakumari donated their lands voluntarily. As Brahmins were District is chiefly the result of social customs, the laws of considered to be superior to others, the kings entrusted the inheritance and the legislative enactments that were made entire administration of lands with them. Thus temples along from time to time. It was the feudal based economy that with its lands came under the control of Brahmins. severely affected the economy of the common people. Kanyakumari District was preeminently an agricultural area. During the Chola-Chera War, as the Chera kings imposed 47.2% of the population depending for their means of land tax on non-temple lands, the sons of the soil, in order to livelihood almost exclusively upon land, a feature peculiar to get tax exemptions handed over their lands to temples for a the west coast of Travancore. The district, once called as “the nominal price and continued their cultivation. In course of Granary of Travancore” and its fertile area with hundreds of time, Brahmins reduced the legal ownership to the position of water bodies and a canal irrigation system commanded a Kudiyans or tenants. Thus a substantial portion of land came predominant status. However all avenues of activity had been into the hands of the Devaswoms. By the 12th century, the pursued by people to derive their income. Nambudiri Jenmis had become powerful and the temple lands were gradually converted into Brahmin lands. The They earned their living by engaging themselves in cottage Jenmi landlords means Brahmins being owners of land, never industries such as weaving, mat weaving, mulch animals cultivated their lands. They used their tenants to do the job. rearing, coir making etc. They reared poultry, maintained Due to several disputes and litigations between the landlord beehives, worked as casual labourers or artisans. They also and the tenant, the relationship between them strained. engaged themselves in works such as collections of monazite Consequently the government interfered and set things on from the beaches of Kanyakumari District followed by equitable basis. refining of the mineral contents of the sands. It led to the establishment of the Indian Rare Earths Limited at During that time Kanyakumari District possessed jenmivaka Manavalakurichy of Kalkulam Taluk under the control of the lands and pandaravaka lands. The cultivators of pandaravaka Atomic Power Board of the Government of India. The held the lands on pattom and had no right to sell them. The mineral plant had been a source of employment for the youth government had the right to evict them at any time. To avoid of this area. Further it was a source of income for the this eviction, the then Travancore king Ayilliam Tirunal Manavalakurichy village panchayat as the company regularly issued a proclamation known as Pandarapattom Proclamation paid royalty to the latter. on 2nd June 1855. By that all Sircar Pattom lands became private property of the holders. Two years later another As in other parts of Travancore, private ownership of land proclamation was issued which gave security of tenure to the existed in Kanyakumari District long before the Sangam age. ryots and encouraged improvement of the land. In course of time, powerful chieftains took control of the lands and came to be called as Naduvazhis and Desavazhis. In jenmivaka lands, as the jenmis evicted the tenants or Following he arrival of Aryans during the 7th and 8th Kudiyans without sufficient compensation, the then Maharaja centuries temples became the centres of learning and cultural issued the Jenmi Kudiyan proclamation of on 1867 for All Rights Reserved © 2017 IJSEM 219 ISSN (Online) 2456 -1304 International Journal of Science, Engineering and Management (IJSEM) Vol 2, Issue 12, December 2017 sufficient compensation. As per the Proclamation, the Another land tenure existed in Kanyakumari District was Kudiyans could inherit the land, improve it or even sell it as viruthi or the service grants, by which the viruthi holders if he had perfect ownership. enjoyed certain lands on assessment for rendering certain services. Such services were supply of vegetables and other As Jenmis and Kudiyans faced various difficulties they made articules to Sircar, Uttupuras, Sircar temples on ceremonial repeated representations to the King. Hence a Commission occasions in the palace during erection of sheds, providing was appointed during 1884 A.D. 1885 A.D to improve the supplies during royal tours etc. The system was found to be Jenmi – Kudiyan relationship. The outcome of the good at the time of its inception. But later it became a Commission was the passing of Jenmi-Kudiyan Regulation burden on holders and ultimately this system was abolished of on 1896 A.D. As per the Regulation, Kudyians were in 1909 A.D. conferred the fixity of tenure, his right was made heritable and transferable. However eviction of the tenants was Thiruppuvanam, another land tenure which existed in allowed in case of non- payment of rent for twelve years. In Kanyakumari District dealt with the assignment of revenue or 1915, a committee was again appointed and on its rent to any religious, educational or charitable institution or recommendations Bill was published in 1924. Due to the individual. The tax due to the government was being opposition of the landlords the recommendations were collected by the government from the thiruppu holder. modified. Thiruppu holder, in turn, collected the rent from the thiruppu land holder. In Kanyakumari District such thiruppu lands As in Travancore the chief categories of tenure in had existed in many of the villages. Kanyakumari District were broadly classified into jenmom land tenure and tenure and Sircar or Pandaravaka or The kandukrishi land was another system of Sircar tenure Government land tenure the chief systems of tenancy were found in Kanyakumari District and was defined as the home verumpattom or venpattom, kanam or kuzhikana, otti, etc., farm of the sovereign. The ryot who tilled the home farm In the verumpattom tenure the tenant took possession of the land paid his rent in kind. However the Maharani of property and paid an annual rent to the landlord as agreed Travancore abolished the system of paying rent in kind and upon. He was bound to quit the land at the expiry of his revoked the payment in cash during 1102 M.E. term. From 1892 A.D. onwards the pattom on paddy land and garden lands were fixed as ¼ of the gross produce. Sreepadam lands belonged to the female members of the However, if no trees were found on the assessed lands pattom royal family of Travancore. These lands were not assessable had been assessed and it was equivalent to the payattupattom under the tax proclamation of 1946. These lands were found tenure. The pattom on buildings were fixed as one half of the in the villages of Manavalakurichy, Eraniel, Kadiapattanam, rental value. Thalakulam, Aloor, Colachel, Kalkulam, Ponmanai, Attoor, Kothanallur and Kappiyara of Kanyakumari District. The kuzhikanam tenure also existed in Kanyakumari District and the period was fixed as twelve years. Otti, another After 1956 the Tamilnadu Government ordered a survey of transaction tenure also existed in Kanyakumari District by the whole of Kanyakumari District and as the former survey which the Jenmi borrowed a stipulated amount against the was done some sixty years ago, a new survey officer was security of his land. The land was left with the Kudiyan for appointed. Hence the entire area of Kanyakumari District was enjoyment of its produce as interest for the amount. resurveyed and records had been maintained. The Tamilnadu The notable tenures practiced at Kanyakumari District for the Land Reforms Fixation of Ceiling of Land Act was passed in Sircar government lands were Pandarapattom, Inam, Viruthi 1961. As per the Act ceiling area for a family of five and Thiruppuvanam. Pandarapattom was the tenure defined members was fixed at 30 standard acres. This Act also as a lease without any proprietary or transferable rights. But permitted an allowance of five standard acres for each later the tenants became owners of their land if they had paid additional member in the family. But the overall ceiling of a tax to the government. family was sixty standard acres. Inams were the grants of lands made by ruling princes, Agriculture was the main occupation of the people. chieftains or great Jenmis for the service rendered to the state Agricultural situation of Kanyakumari District has remained or sovereign.